Overview

Test Scores

Deadlines

Early Decision

November 1

Regular

January 15

Other Admission Factors

Academic

Rigor of Secondary School Record

Overall

Students Say

Students can’t stop talking about Furman University’s “beautiful campus” and “warm, but challenging, academic community.” This combination of brains and beauty is what makes Furman “an ideal choice” for four years. “Furman is about academic excellence through engaged learning,” says one undergrad. Expect to hear “engaged” used “ad nauseum” on campus, but students claim that such a term “truly describes the kind of personal education available” thanks to “small class sizes,” professors “who love to teach and enjoy getting to know their students,” and “numerous” academic and extracurricular opportunities. Furman’s science programs are “especially” challenging. Professors here are “very qualified (sometimes overqualified), passionate about what they teach, and are not easy graders.” That said, they’re “very willing to help their students.” Students praise the administration, which is “really accessible.” In the words of one undergrad, “They work with students to solve problems and genuinely care about making Furman a better school and not just a higher-ranking institution.” However, some students find that the administration can be “very conservative in their thinking about student on-campus social life.” Ultimately, while “Furman is not for the academically faint-ofheart,” there’s pride in knowing that “you’re receiving a great education that will help you after you graduate.”

Faculty and Class Information

Student/Faculty

11:1

Total Faculty

259

with Terminal Degree

238

162

Men

97

Women

16

Minority

Most frequent class size

10 - 19

Most frequent lab / sub section size

2 - 9

Graduation Rates

Graduate in 4 years

80%

Graduate in 5 years

84%

Graduate in 6 years

Majors

Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies

Asian Studies/Civilization

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Biology/Biological Sciences, General

Neuroscience

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

Accounting

Business/Commerce, General

Management Information Systems, General

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs

Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

Computer and Information Sciences, General

Information Technology

Education

Education, General

Music Teacher Education

Engineering

Engineering, Other

English Language and Literature/Letters

English Language and Literature, General

Foreign languages, literatures, and Linguistics

Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General

French Language and Literature

German Language and Literature

Latin Language and Literature

Spanish Language and Literature

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

History

History, General

Mathematics and Statistics

Mathematics, General

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

Mathematics and Computer Science

Sustainability Studies

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies

Kinesiology and Exercise Science

Philosophy and Religious Studies

Philosophy

Physical Sciences

Chemistry, General

Geology/Earth Science, General

Physics, General

Psychology

Psychology, General

Social Sciences

Anthropology, Other

Economics, General

Economics, Other

Political Science and Government, General

Sociology

Urban Studies/Affairs

Visual and Performing Arts

Art/Art Studies, General

Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General

Music Performance, General

Music Theory and Composition

Music, General

Music, Other

Visual and Performing Arts, General

Degrees

Bachelor's
Master's

Career Services

On-Campus Job Interviews Available

Yes

Career Services

Alumni Network
Classes
Interest Inventory
Internships

Opportunities at School

Internship

Prominent Alumni

Richard Riley

United States Secretary of Education

Charles Townes

Nobel Prize Winner in Physics

Keith Lockhart

Conductor, Boston Pops

Mark Sanford

former SC Govenor, former US Congressional Representative

Dave Garrett

Former CEO, Delta Airlines

Dottie Pepper

Golf Professional

Brad Faxon

Golf Professional

Dates

Financial Aid Rating

84

Application Deadlines

Jan 15

Notification Date

Apr 1

Required Forms

FAFSA
Forms CSSProfile
School
State Aid

Bottom Line

Tuition costs $42,784 with $10,844 being added on for room and board. The vast majority of students receive need-based financial aid, with packages averaging $28,539, and merit-based scholarships are in no short supply for the eligible. Forty-five percent of students will graduate with loans, with the average debt coming in at $27,511.

Bang For Your Buck

The school also offers more than 100 renewable merit-based scholarships such as the four Herman W. Lay Scholarships for full tuition and partial other costs; ten James B. Duke Scholarships for full tuition; up to twenty John D. Hollingsworth Scholarships for incoming students from South Carolina; and ten Charles H. Townes Scholarships for students coming from outside South Carolina. Additionally, Furman offers scholarships for students pursuing specific courses of study such as engineering, chemistry, and teaching.

Overall

Students Say

Many find that Furman is something of a “country club” when it comes to its student body, not just “because it is private and somewhat expensive,” but also because the “typical” student is “wealthy, white, conservative, and preppy.” Some find that “the majority of the student body is obsessed with being as ‘generic’ and ‘normal’ as possible, so that any student who does not fit the norm, be it due to a difference in religion or clothing style, will find it harder to fit in.” However, others have found that there’s more to the student body than first meets the eye. As one undergrad says, “The longer I stay at Furman, the more I realize that many students don’t fit the stereotype.” One thing that everyone seems to agree on is that everyone is “very accepting” and “very committed to their academic pursuits.” That said, some wouldn’t mind seeing the school “improve by attracting a more diverse student body, as well as lowering the cost of tuition.”

Student Body Profile

Total Undergraduate Enrollment

2,810

Out of State

72%

International

Foreign Countries Represented

55

Demographics

57%female

43%male

72%are out of state

96%are full time

4%are part time

Overview

Students Say

With so many students reporting that Furman’s campus is “absolutely gorgeous,” it’s a wonder they ever leave it. However, “the surrounding city of Greenville is great,” and its “thriving, small-town feel” brings in plenty of students on the weekends. Life at school is “busy, but so much fun.” Students here spend “a lot of time thinking about academics, classes, and their future,” but they also “invest a lot of time in their relationships with their friends.” The school’s “inclusive, close-knit community” is complemented with “lots of interesting things to do on campus, from music concerts to improv shows to sports games.” “Weeknights are mostly spent studying,” says one undergrad, which makes the library “a popular social spot.” However, once the weekend rolls around, students spend their nights “out on the town.” “There are tons of bars, restaurants, and clubs for people to go to” in Greenville, while those looking for a “party” can head for “fraternity houses.” While the university “is not as crazy party-wise as larger schools,” students “can find a party if they want to.” Mostly though, students are happy to “meet up with friends for meals, coffee, or just to hang out.”

Student Services

Sustainability

Furman University is committed to sustainability and environmental citizenship as key institutional priorities. Furman is dedicated to providing a comprehensive range of options for students to study sustainability, but the university doesn’t just ask you to take its word. It’s thrived on its own accountability; Furman University is a STARS Charter Participant. Furman received an overall rating of Silver and scored high in the Education and Research section. Furman’s efforts include requiring all students take a course focusing on humans and the natural environment and university faculty approved a Sustainability Science major leading to a BS degree for students who wish to focus their education on sustainability issues. Academic work is complemented and supported by the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, which advances Furman’s sustainability efforts through a focus on curricular opportunities and student-faculty research. Furman students engage in a wide variety of sustainability research and co-curricular activities, including working at the on-campus, organic-practice Furman farm. Furman was a charter signatory to the ACUPCC, and the Board of Trustees approved a sustainability master plan for the university, setting a goal of carbon neutrality by 2026. One would be remiss not to mention Furman’s claim to the first LEED-certified building in South Carolina, Hipp Hall, just another testament to the university’s sterling résumé. “Furman's focus on creating engaged learning opportunities for students to apply their knowledge has led to an array of community partnerships in Greenville, which allow for Furman and Greenville to work together to advance sustainability as one community.”

Green Rating

94

School Has Formal Sustainability Committee

Yes

Sustainability-focused degree available

Yes

School employs a sustainability officer

Yes

Public GHG inventory plan

Yes

% food budget spent on local/organic food

5%

Available Transportation Alternatives

Bike Share

Yes

Car Sharing Program

Yes

Free Or Reduced Price Transit Passes And/Or Free Campus Shuttle

Yes

School Developed Bicycle Plan

Yes

Data provided by Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), STARS®, as of February, 2014.

Campus Security Report

The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.

The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/security

Class Visits

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays

Available

Arrangements

Contact Admissions Office

Limitations

Available Sun-Thurs nights, senior only

Transportation

Types of Transportation Available to Campus

The Greenville-Spartanburg Airport is 20 miles from campus. To arrange for limousine service to campus from the airport, call 864-879-2315; after business hours, call 864-235-1713. Amtrak trains serve Greenvile; public buses or taxis are available from the station to campus. Greyhound buses stop on the east side of town; taxis are available at the terminal for the ride to campus.

Driving Instructions to Campus

From Asheville, NC, and the northwest, take I-26 to Hendersonville, NC; then take US 25 S. In Traveler's Rest SC, US 25 South and US 276 East join briefly; where highways divide, take 276 East to Furman exit. From Charlotte, NC and the northeast, take I-85 to Greenville, then take I-385 into downtown. Bear right onto Highway 183, which becomes Beattie Pl. Follow Beattie Pl. (which becomes College St.) until eventually bearing right onto US 276 West. Continue 5 miles to Furman exit. From Atlanta, GA, and the southwest, take I-85 to Greenville, then take I-185 exit. Follow I-185 into Greenville, where it becomes Mills Ave., then Church St. Turn left from Church St. onto Beattie Pl. (which becomes College St.) until eventually bearing right onto US 276 West. Continue 5 miles to Furman exit. From Columbia, SC, and the southeast, take I-26 to I385. Continue on I-385 approximately 45 miles into downtown Greenville. Bear right onto Highway 183, which becomes Beattie Pl. Follow Beattie Pl. (which becomes College St.) until eventually bearing right onto US 276 West. Continue 5 miles to Furman exit.

Local Accommodations

Your best deal for price and location is the Comfort Inn-Executive Center (540 N. Pleasantburg Dr.; 803-271-0060), a 15 minute drive from campus. A little more expensive and a litte farther away (about 20 minutes) is Courtyard by Marriott (70 Orchard Park Dr.; 803-234-0300). Opened in 1991 this hotel is near downtown and shopping. Guests have privileges at the Greenville Health and Raquet Club. At the Hyatt Regency-Greenville (220 N. Main St.; 803-235-1234), about 15 minutes away, the rates are moderate. The Hyatt Regency also offers privileges at the Greenville Racquet Club. For bed-and-breakfasts in the area call Clarion Carriage House Inns in Charleston (800-CLARION)